I think to have a balanced sport, we need to understand that bodies Frank Mir, Overeem, or Sean Sherk are not what an average human male can expect. (And note that I am talking as somebody who is already more strapped than average, because that is the focus of my training.)

im constantly amazed by naivety shown by people who watch top level sports and DONT think that there is a rampant amount of substance abuse happening. For gods sake, you simply do not get people looking like overreem naturally. it doesnt happen and you shouldnt need to be a doctor to figure that out. even on this forum where you kind of expect a level of realism, people were still defending overroids right up until they found he had only a little bit of blood in his testosterone stream. look at the olympics and some of the physiques going on. look at the top level swimmers and tell me they look AT ALL natural. now go back 40 years and have a look at those sportspeople.

of course their training wasnt as advanced but do you really think that the recent MASSIVE leaps and bounds in athletes physiques, strength and stamina has come from more people doing squats?

professional sport is fundamentally broken when it comes to doping. the whole situation is fucking stupid- athletes are basically forced to use illegal methods to stay ahead of the pack. for a lot of these guys it is their only income and often there is no backup plan if they cant make it. in this situation it is incredibly naive to think they WONT use whatever they can to win. yeah they might get caught and banned for a while. so? in a lot of cases if they dont, they will merely be an "almost was", and the chances of being caught are actually pretty low. the industry dribing new ways to use without being caught is a fucksight larger than the one developing new testing methods- its a constant game of catch up.

im constantly amazed by naivety shown by people who watch top level sports and DONT think that there is a rampant amount of substance abuse happening...

Absolutely.
We're living in a world where the average gym athlete roids, for ****'s sake. And, of course, the generation of pro fighters today is divided between guys with great technique and skill, and fucking Rosies from Bioshock.

That said, I think it's damn important that the fans get real about this, and part of that equation is that a guy with the body of Chael Sonnen or Frank Mir DOESN'T suffer from hypogonadism, the same way that you can't get to Overeem levels of muscle mass by eating horsemeat. If OUR generation of martial artists doesn't get that done, I think we'll look forward for a future where average teens already pump Superdrol because that's the only way to a Brad Pitt -like physique.

In this context, I think Dr Benjamin commits a slight fallacy, though: It's the cardio training professional athletes do the roiding for.

Imagine yourself doing this every day over a four-month period:

Sure you won't get hurt, or being incredibly sour after a week or two?

Jun 11, 2012 - It was about two or three years ago when Rich Franklin started being asked about retirement. At the time, the question took Franklin by surprise. He was still in his mid-30s -- not young but not old -- and still performing well, but the query started seeping into interviews until the point came when not a single one would go by without it coming up.

It is so prevalent in these kinds of conversations, he says, that it's conditioned him to understand that when it comes to his days in the octagon, he's down to his final ones. That realization often causes athletes to look for ways to extend their careers, and Franklin is no different.

In fact, on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour, the former UFC middleweight champion admitted that he has looked into the controversial testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).

(Editor's note: Rich Franklin interview starts around 1:03:44 mark.)

In response to a question by host Ariel Helwani about prolonging his fighting days with the help of TRT, Franklin offered this response:

"Yeah, I've kicked around that idea and everything, and actually I’ve talked to doctors that work with the UFC and the athletic commission in Nevada and all that kind of stuff," said Franklin, who takes on Wanderlei Silva at UFC 147 later this month. "And at 37, my count obviously is not what it was when I was 25, and I’m a candidate for that kind of stuff. I haven’t started yet.

"I'm not sure if that's something I want to do or how I want to approach that, because TRT is … once you start that process it’s a permanent fixture," he continued. "Once you start putting those hormones in your body -- those synthetic hormones -- then your body is not going to produce its own hormones any more, and so you really have to think carefully. My levels are still decently healthy for a male, but they're not high enough to continue a prolonged career at a top level for many more years."

According to the guidelines of various state athletic commissions that offer TRT therapeutic use exemptions, an athlete must be able to prove that his testosterone level is below normal. Franklin's statement seems to indicate his levels are normal for his age, just not quite as high as they used to be, so while his candidacy for TRT might be contradicted by his statement, it must be noted he has not used the treatment.

If this appears to be another case of an athlete considering gaming the system, given Franklin's voluntary candidness on the topic, it also might be an instance where he is simply gathering information on a treatment that has seeped into popular culture in the last two years.

Either way, the interest in TRT seems to be picking up steam in MMA circles, ramping up attention and setting the stage for those in regulatory positions to more forcefully execute their duties and enforce fair play. Until then, TRT and other treatments are an avenue that even Franklin admitted will continue to be explored by fighters looking for an edge.

"I'm sure that there are people that find ways around things, and cheating and all that kind of stuff but that’s just a natural thing," Franklin said. "The only way to really, really, really cure something like that is to have a 100 percent zero tolerance policy on these kinds of things, but it’s just impossible across the board, because this is how sports operate."

Former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante has been suspended for one year by the California State Athletic Commission for testing positive for a banned substance. Cavalcante defeated Mike Kyle by guillotine choke submission at only 33 seconds into the first round.

Ariel Helwani at MMA Fighting reported the story. CSAC executive officer George Dodd confirmed the news but refused to specify the substance found in Cavalcante's drug test. Dodd did add that Cavalcante was fined $2,500. There is no word as to whether or not the fight result will be overturned.

Chiapetta spoke to Cavalcante's manager, Ed Soares, who said they have replied to the CSAC's letter and will be appealing the suspension.

Cavalcante joins Strikeforce fighters Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal and Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos in having failed a drug test since the Zuffa acquisition of the promotion. Strikeforce veterans Alistair Overeem and Nick Diaz are both currently serving suspensions after having moved to the UFC and then failed urine tests.

We'll start with something that seems to be the bane of Strikeforce's existence - positive tests. In the last year, fighters or ex-fighters from the organization have been dropping like flies due to post-fight and random tests. Most notably "King" Muhammed Lawal and Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino (formerly Santos), who both popped for anabolic steroids. Former Strikeforce champions Alistair Overeem and Nick Diaz also tested positive for stuff in the UFC. Anyway, now they can add another guy to the list - Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante.

It came out over the weekend that Feijao was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission for a year due to a positive test for...something. Today, it was confirmed by the CSAC that he popped for the anabolic steroid stanozolol and his bout with Mike Kyle will be flipped to a no-contest. It's the same steroid that Cyborg and Chris Leben tested positive for. Yeesh.